Textile drafting system



Nov. 25, 1969 E. s. LIVINGSTON TEXTILE DRAFTING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15, 1968 EMMETT S. .LNI NqsToN ATTORNEYS Nov. 25, 1969 E. s. LIVINGSTON TEXTILE DRAFTING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1968 INVENTORZ 5 EMMETT 5. LIVINGSTON W Q WLM ATTORNEYS Nov. 25, 1969 E. s. LIVINGSTON ATTORNEYS Nov. 25, 1969 E. s. LIVINGSTON TEXTILE DRAFTING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 15, 1968 INVENTOR. EM METT 5. LwmqsTo N ATTORNEYS 1969 E. s LIVINGSTON 3, 7

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT EM -E'MMETT S. LrvmNqfiTON ATTORNEYfi United States Patent 07 3,479,700 TEXTILE DRAFTING SYSTEM Emmett S. Livingston, Columbus, Ga., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 697,786

Int. Cl. D01h 5/74, 5/18 US. Cl. 19260 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for drafting textile material in which laterally spaced first and second nip control rolls form successive first and second nips with a common fluted master control roll, with all the control rolls rotating at about the same peripheral speed, and at least the second nip control roll being fluted, and wherein the meshing relationship of the rolls at the second nip is such with respect to the relationship of the rolls at the first nip as to impart draft to the textile material in its course from the first to the second nip.

This invention relates to an improved drafting system which is particularly useful in drafting slivers on drawing frames, but which may be employed with equal utility in conjunction with roving frames, gill boxes, combers, spinning frames and the like.

Various types of fiber control means have been proposed heretofore for use in conjunction with drafting systems to improve the uniformity of the textile material being drafted. The prior art control means has included various forms of drafting aprons, control bars positioned in the drafting zones, and various other forms of slipdraft units. Among the known slip-draft units is that disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,715,754,- issued on Aug. 23, 1955 to Bernhard Bisinger et al., for example, in which two small diameter rolls, of non-slip surface character, are driven at different peripheral speeds and cooperate with a common large diameter smooth-faced roll.

More recently, as disclosed in US. application Ser. No. 499,722, filed Oct. 21, 1965 now US. Patent No. 3,371,- 389 of common assignee with the present application, a three-roll slip-draft unit has been proposed including a pair of driven, laterally spaced, first and second rolls which are successively engaged by fibrous textile material. The first roll is fluted longitudinally and meshes with a third fluted roll, of relatively larger diameter than, and common to both first and second rolls. Although the peripheral speed of all three rolls is about the same, a gap is defined at the nip of the second and third rolls and serves as a restricting passage which imparts a retardant slip-draft force to the material passing from the nip of the intermeshing fluted first and third rolls and through the restricting passage to a succeeding pair of drafting rolls driven at a faster peripheral speed than that of the first, second and third rolls.

Some of such prior art fiber control means have been quite effective in improving the quality of textile material being drafted. However, the known three-roll units have required special gear arrangements in order to drive both small diameter rolls in the desired relation to other drafting elements or rolls of the drafting system. Also, i have found that the uniformity of the textile material may be further improved by more positively gripping the fibers in their course through a three-roll control unit of a drafting system.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved drafting system including a three-roll fiber- PatentedNov. 25, 1969 control unit which is arranged to impart a positive draft to the textile material in the drafting z ne between the nips of two nip control rolls with a common master control roll, and in which only one of the three rolls need be driven to effect the desired rotation of all three rolls thereby obviating the need for as complicated a drive arrangement as has been necessary in the driving of the aforementioned prior art types of three-roll units.

Generally, the invention comprises laterally spaced and parallel first and second nip control rolls combined with a longitudinally fluted master control roll which' forms spaced first and second nips with the nip control rolls, which nips are spaced further apart than the average staple length of the fibers of textile material being drafted, and through which the textile material passes in succession, Yieldable pressure means operatively associated with the control rolls is so arranged that the textile material is subjected to squeezing pressure by the respective control rolls at each of the nips, and drive means connected to the control rolls rotates all the control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed. However, at least the second nip control roll is fluted longitudinally and meshes with the master control roll, and the meshing relationship of the rolls at the second nip is such with respect to the relationship of the rolls at the first nip as to advance the textile material through the second nip at a faster linear speed than that at which the material is being advanced through the first nip to thereby impart draft to the textile material in its course from said first nip to said second nip.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a drafting system of the type described in which the threeroll fiber-control unit comprises a fluted master control roll meshing with a pair of laterally spaced fluted nip control rolls with 'one of the three'rolls being driven; preferably the foremost of the nip control rolls, and wherein the intermeshing relationship of the fluted rolls and the shape of the flutes thereof are such that the textile material is drafted in the drafting zone between the adjacent nips formed where the fluted nip control rolls mesh with the fluted master control roll.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view through the rolls of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken looking substantially along line 1-1 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1, on a reduced scale, showing how the rolls may be mounted and also showing a preferred driving arrangement for the rolls;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalview taken substantially along line 33 in FIGURE 2, illustrating a preferred arrangement for limiting the extent of intermeshing relationship of the respective fluted rolls anld also illustrating means for applying pressure to the To ls;

FIGURE 4 is an'enlarged fragmentary elevation,partially in section, taken substantially along line 4-4 in FIGURE 2 and illustrating the gear drive arrangement and the supporting means therefor; l

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the gear drive arrangement looking at the left-hand side of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary View illustrating the three fluted control rolls in the right-hand portion of FIGURE 1, wherein the flutes of all the control rolls are of substantially the same shape and. size, but wherein the master control roll is of lesser meshing depth with respect to the nip feed roll than it is with the 3 nip deliVery roll of the three-roll unit so as to impart draft to the fibrous textile material;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but wherein the fluted master control roll is positioned in substantially the same meshing relationship with the two fluted nip rolls, with the teeth of the flutes of the'nip feed roll being smaller or of lesser cross-sectional area than the teeth of the flutes ofthe fluted nip delivery roll to impart draft to the textile material passing through the two nip control rolls; v

;'-FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the smallerflutes of the nip feed roll positioned in a'lesser meshing depth with respect to the master r'oll than that of the flutes ofthe nip delivery roll so that a greater amount of draft is imparted to the fibers passing between the two nip control rolls in FIGURE 8 than is the case with respect to FIGURE 7;

' FIGURES 9-13 illustrate five other embodiments of the invention incorporating in each of the same one or more of the three-roll fiber-control units of the present invention; 7

. FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the first or feed fluted nip control roll out of intermeshing relation with the master control roll;

, FIGURE 15 is an enlarged detail at the nip area of the feed nip control roll and master control roll of FIG- URE14; 1

FIGURE 16 is another view similar to FIGURE 1, but wherein the first or feed nip control roll is devoid of flutes capable of meshing with the master control roll; e.g., the feed nip control roll may be a cushion roll or it may be a metal roll, and it may have a smooth or roughened peripheral surface; and

FIGURE 17 is a detail view taken at the nip area of the feed nip control roll and the master control roll of FIGURE 16.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and especially to FIGURES 1-6, the first embodiment of the drafting system of this invention includes a three-roll fibercontrol unit broadly designated at 20 and a pair of upper and lower delivery drafting rolls 21, 22 serving as main front delivery drafting rolls in this instance. Although the front delivery rolls 21, 22 are shown in the form of fluted intermeshing rolls, as is preferred, either or both of the rolls 21, 22 may be in the form of a smooth-faced or cushion roll.

. Fiber-control unit 20 comprises a fluted master control roll 23; preferably of relatively large diameter, which serves as a top roll in this instance and meshes with a pair of laterally spaced fluted first and second or feed and delivery nip control rolls 24, 25, preferably of relatively small-diameter and which serve as bottom control rolls in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-6. All three control rolls 23, 24, 25 may be metallic and, because of the large diameter of master control roll 23, this roll preferably is of hollow or tubular form. The relative diameters of rolls 23-25 preferably are such that the second nip control roll 25 may be spaced forwardly from the first nip control roll 24 a distance substantially greater than the average or maximum staple length of the fibers in the textilematerial26 passing through the drafting zone 27 defined 'betweenthe first and'second nips of the respective nip control rolls 24, 25. The distance between the nips of nip rolls 24, 25 may be as; much as or more than twice the average staple length of fibers being drafted. The diameters of second nip control roll 25 and front bottom drafting roll 22 should be such as to to permit the nips of these rolls to be spaced sufliciently close together to accommodate short staple fibers with the latter nips be ing spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the average staple length of the fibers in the textile 4' roll 23 may be about 3 /2 inches diameter; first nip control roll 24 may be about 1 inches diameter; and second nip control roll 25 may be about 1 inch diameter. Rolls of these sizes will accommodate textile material having an average staple length of from about 1 inch to 2% inches.

The upper extremity of second mp control roll 25 is preferably positioned slightly above the level of the nip of the front delivery rolls 21, 22 so as to increase the extent to which the textile material 26 may wrap around the second nip control roll 25in its course from master control roll 23 to the nip of front delivery rolls 21, 22. Since pressure is applied to master control roll 23 in a vertical downward direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of master control roll 23, it is desirable that the axis of first nip control roll 24 is disposed on a lower level than the axis of second nip control 25. Thus, the textile material passing between rolls 23, 24 will be forced or squeezed into the grooves between the flutes of rolls 23, 24 under relatively heavy pressure to the extent permitted by a limiting means to be later described, even though the textile material 26 may be sub stantially more dense or thicker at the first nip at rolls 23. 24 than it is at the second nip at rolls 23, 25.

The peripheral speed of all three control rolls 23-25 is substantially the same. However, in order to improve the uniformity of the textile material in its course between the nip control rolls 24, 25, the intermeshing of the fluted rolls and the shape of the flutes thereof are such that the sliver is drafted between the first and second nips at the junctures of nip control rolls 24, 25 with common master control roll 23.

Although the distance between the first and second nips may be substantially greater than the maximum length of the fibers in the drafting control zone 27 defined between rolls 24, 25, the arcuate periphery of master control roll 23 bows the material 26 so that it hugs or snugly engages master control roll 23 to thereby prevent blow-up of the fibers and also to maintain integrity of the textile material 26 in the control zone 27 even though the drafting system may be operating at very high speeds of 2,000 feet per minute or greater.

The maximum amount of draft which can be imparted to the material at control zone 27 is determined by the height and/ or shape of the flutes on control rolls 23-25.

Generally the amount of draft imparted to the material 26 in control zone 27 may be on the order of about 1.04 to 1.20. Although this draft of 1.04 to 1.20 is relatively small, it is effective to distribute the fibers in the material 26 and to condition the same for a high draft to be imparted thereto in the subsequent drafting zone between control rolls 23, 25 and front delivery rolls 21, 22. The latter high draft may be in the range of about 4 to 8, depending upon the weight of the material being fed at the nip of control rolls 23, 24, the desired weight thereof emerging from front delivery rolls 21, 22, and the type of fibers being drafted.

As heretofore stated, only one of the control rolls 23- 25 need be driven, since it in turn transmits rotation to the other two control rolls. This arrangement greatly facilitates simplicity in the design of the drive mechanism as well as change-over of the amount of draft required in the front drafting zone between control rolls 23, 25 and main delivery rolls 21, 22. The drive mechanism, as well as the means for mounting rolls 21-25 will now be described with particular reference to FIGURES 2-5.

Reduced opposite ends of rolls 21-25 are journaled in respective pairs of bearings 31-35. Bearings 32, 34, 35 are positioned in, and rest upon the bottoms of, respective substantially U-shaped bearing blocks or slide blocks 36, 37, 38. Bearings 31 also are positioned in the respective slide blocks 36 above bearings 32. Each group of slide blocks 36, 37, 38 is adjustably supported on a roll stand 41 suitably secured to the frame 42 of the machine and having a longitudinally extending slot 43 (FIGURE 2) therein to accommodate screws 44 (FIGURE 3) for adjustably securing the corresponding slide blocks 36, 37, 38 to roll stands 41.

To limit the depth of mesh between front delivery rolls 21, 22, and between each bottom nip control roll 24, and master control roll 23 (FIGURES 1-6), the bearings 31, 32, 34, at each end of rolls 21, 22, 24, 25 have respective collars or spacing members 51, 52, 54, 55 thereon which, from the standpoint of economy, preferably are all of the same diameter. Also, the bearings 33 in which reduced opposite ends of master control roll 23 are journaled each has a relatively large stepped collar or spacing member 53 thereon which includes a collar portion 53w (FIGURE 3) of a relatively larger diameter than an adjacent collar portion 53b. Collar portions 53a, 53b rest upon the respective spacing collars or members 54, 55 so that the flutes of master control roll 23 may be in deeper meshing relation with the flutes of second control nip roll 25 than they are with the flutes of first nip control roll 24, as best shown in FIGURE 6.

As is well known, the deeper the intermeshing relationship between a pair of fluted rolls, the greater is the amount of fibers crowded into the grooves between the flutes and, thus, the greater is the linear speed of the textile material 26 therebetween. It follows, therefore, that the textile material 26 is fed into the zone 27 by the intermeshing flutes of control rolls 23, 24 at a slower rate than it is withdrawn from the drafting control zone 27 by the intermeshing flutes of control rolls 23, 25, with the result that draft is imparted to the textile material passing through the control zone 27. In the illustration of FIGURE 6, all the flutes of controlrolls 23, 24, 25 are of the same size and shape and all three rolls rotate at the same peripheral speed with the depth of mesh D at the first nip, between rolls 23, 24, being substantially less than the depth of mesh D at the second nip, between rolls 23, 25. It is apparent that the shape of the flutes, in addition to the depth of mesh of adjacent rolls, also controls the linear speed of the textile material passing through the nips of the respective rolls.

In one non-limiting example, the outer end or land of each tooth of the flutes was about .047 inch wide, the full depth of each flute or groove between adjacent teeth was about .098 inch, and the included angle of each tooth was about 16 degrees, with the radius of the bottom of each groove being about .028 inch. Utilizing control rolls whose flutes had the latter size and configuration, the depth of mesh D (FIGURE 6) was about .040 inch and the depth of mesh D was about .060 inch. This produced a draft in the drafting control zone 27 of about 1.08.

In another non-limiting example, the land of each tooth was about .065 inch wide, the depth of each groove was about .109 inch, the radius of the bottom of each groove was about .041 inch, and the included angle of each tooth was about 16 degrees. The maximum permissible meshing depth of the nip rolls 24, 25 with respect to the master control roll 23 thus could have a greater differential between the two nips than in the first example, thereby permitting increased draft in zone 27.

It is contemplated that substantially larger flutes may be provided on control rolls 23, 24, 25, if desired, to further increase the range of draft which may be obtained in zone 27.

Any suitable means may be provided for applying the desired amount of yieldable pressure to rolls 2125 such as to subject the textile material 26 to a squeezing pressure by the rolls at each of the nips. As shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3, the collars 51 associated with top front delivery roll 21 are suitably peripherally grooved to receive the hooked upper ends of respective suspension rods 58. The hooked lower end of each suspension rod 58 has a suitable weight member 59 depending therefrom.

A suspension rod 60 is suitably secured at its upper end to the stepped spacing member or collar 53, as by being threaded into the same. Suspension rod 60 extends downwardly radially from stepped spacing collar 53 and its hooked lower end has the hooked upper end of an auxiliary suspension member 61 connected thereto, and on the lower portion of which another suitable weight member 63 is suitably supported. Thus, weight member 63 is suspended from collar 53 at a point about halfway between the nip control rolls 24, 25. Utilizing rolls of the form described above in the first example, with a master control roll weighing about 37 pounds, a weight member 63, weighing about 34 pounds,was suspended from the stepped collar 53 at each end of the master control roll 23.

In order to drive the rolls of the drafting system, one reduced end of bottom front drafting roll 22 has a pulley 66 fixed thereon which is engaged by a suitably driven endless belt 67 constituting a motive means. The reduced other end of drafting roll 22 has a pinion 70 fixed thereon (FIGURES 2, 4 and 5) which meshes with the'larger of two change gears 71, 72. Change gears 71, 72 are arranged in fixed axial relationship on a stub shaft 73 carried by an adjustable bracket 74. Bracket 74 extends downwardly and is pivotally mounted on a stub shaft 75 (FIGURE 2) disposed in substantially axial alignment with bottom front delivery roll 22 and'mounted in a standard 76 suitably secured to the frame 42 of the machine.

The change gear bracket 74 is also provided with an arcuate slot 77 generated about the axis of pivot shaft 75 and penetrated by a bolt 78 for securing bracket 74 and its change gears 71, 72 in the desired adjusted position with respect to pinion 70 and also with respect to another gear 81 fixed on the reduced corresponding end of delivery nip control roll 25.

It is thus seen that the front bottom delivery roll' 22 imparts rotation to the-bottom nip control roll 25 through the aforementioned gearing. It is apparent that'the top front delivery roll 21 is driven by engagement with the bottom front delivery roll or the textile material 26 passing therebetween. Also, it is apparent that master control roll 23 is driven by nip roll 25 due to the intermeshing relationship therebetween, and further, the first nip control roll 24 is driven due to its intermeshing relationship with master control roll 23 and/or the material 26 passing therebetween.

Since the second nip control roll 25 is positioned on a higher level than the first nip control roll 24, it should be noted that the effective spacing between the nips of the front delivery rolls 21, 22 and the control rolls 23, 25 may be adjustably varied without changing the position of nip control roll 25 relative to front delivery roll 22, simply by adjusting slide blocks 37 and the first nip control roll 24 forwardly and rearwardly relative to the second nip control roll 25. By way of example, if a forward adjustment is made with respect to first nip control roll 24, it can be appreciated that this will cause master control roll 23 to move upwardly and forwardly in engagement with second nip control roll 25, thus decreasing the distance from the nip of rolls 23, 25 to the nip of rolls 21, 22. This obviates the necessity of adjusting gears 71, 72 when only a change in roll spacing is desired.

FIGURE 7 shows a set of control rolls 20a, including a large diameter master control roll 23a and a pair of first and second nip control rolls 24a, 25:: which may be arranged and driven in the same manner as the rolls 23, 24, 25. In fact, master control roll 23a and the second nip control roll 25a may be identical to the respective rolls 23, 25. The control unit 20a of FIGURE 7 differs from control unit 20 of FIGURES 1-6, however, in that both nip control rolls 24a, 25a may have substantially the same depth E, E of meshing with master control roll 23a. However, in order to advance the textile material 26a into drafting control zone 27a at a substantially slower linear speed than that at which the textile material 26a is withdrawn from drafting control zone 27a through the nip of control rolls 23a, 25a, it will be observed that the flutes of first control roll 24a are shaped quite differently from the flutes of control rolls 23a, 25a.

In other words, although the center-to-center distance between the flutes, i.e., the circular pitch, of all the control rolls 23a, 24a, 25a may be substantially the same, each of the projecting teeth of the flutes of first nip control roll 24a is of substantially lesser thickness or cross-sectional area than each of the teeth of the flutes of the other ,control rolls 23a, 25a. Thus, even though all control rolls rotate at the same peripheral speed, the textile material 26a engages a substantially lesser surface area of the flutes at the nip of control rolls 23a, 24a than it does at the nip of control rolls 23a, 25a, with the result that the textile material is fed into the drafting control zone 27a at a substantiallyslower rate than that at which it is withdrawn from the drafting control zone 27a through the nip'of'control rolls 23a, 25a. FIGURE 8 is another view of the rolls shown in FIG- URE7, with the exception of the differential in the linear speed of the textile material 26a at the first and second nips. In other words, it will be observed that the linear speed of the textile material 26a through the first nip, between control rolls 23a, 24a, is still further reduced by positioning the ,same at a'lesser meshing depth E than the 'meshin g depth E of rolls 23a, 25a. Thus, the amount of draft imparted to the textile material in zone 27a is greater in FIGURE 8 than in FIGURE 7.

FIGURES 9-13 simply illustrate various ways in which three-rollfiber-control units of this invention may be employed in various types of drafting systems, if desired,

to further enhance theuniformity of the textile material being drafted.

In the drafting system of FIGURE 9, two three-roll control units 2011, 20c, and a pair of front drafting or delivery rolls 21c, 22c are arranged in series. The control units 20b, 20c include respective master control rolls 23b,-24c and respective pairs of small-diameter nip control rolls 24b, 25b and 240, 25c. The control units 20b, 200 may each be identical to the control unit 20 of FIG- URES 1-6 and, of course, the nip control rolls 24b, 240 also may be arranged as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. Accordingly, a further detailed description with respect to FIGURE 9 is deemedunnecessary. It is apparent that the textile material 26b of FIGURE 9 is fed into the drafting control zone 27b through the nip of control rolls 23b, 24b and is drafted due to the higher linear speed of advancement of the textile material between the nip of control rolls 23b, 25b. Similarly, control rolls 23c, 24c feed the textile material 26b into the control zone 27c from whence it is withdrawn at a higher linear speed through the nip of the control rolls 23c, 25c. Thereupon, a relatively high draft is imparted to the textile material 26b as it passes from control rolls 23c, 250 through main delivery rolls 21c, 220. The control rolls of unit 200 may operate at a higher peripheral speed than the control rolls of unit 20b so as to draft the material 26b as it passes between rolls 25b, 24c (FIGURE 9). In the embodiment of FIGURE 10, two three-roll control units,20d, 20c; comprising a first group of control rolls 23d, 24d, 25d and a. second group of control rolls 23c, 24c, 25c, are provided for drafting and controlling the textile material 26a' in its course to front delivery rolls 21e,- 22e. Each of these groups of rolls may be constructed and arranged in a manner similar to the group of rolls 23, 24, 25 of FIGURES 1-6, or similar to the group of rolls 23a, 24a, 25a shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. The drafting system of FIGURE is quite sirnilar to that of FIGURE 9 with theexception that the control unit 202 is invertedwith respect to control unit d, and wherein the master controlroll 23e of the second control unit 203 of FIGURE 10 is disposed beneath the nip rolls- 24c, c. In other respects, the drafting system of FIGURE 10 may operate in substantially the same manner as the drafting system of FIGURE 9.

In FIGURE 11, only a single three-roll control unit of the type associated with the first embodiment of the drafting system is shown. That control unit of FIGURE 11 which corresponds to the control unit 20 of FIGURE 1 is broadly designated at 20] and includes a large diameter fluted master control roll 23 and a pair of smaller diameter fluted nip control rolls 24 25). Disposed forwardly of control unit 20f is a three-roll drafting unit broadly designated at 20g and which comprises a pair of small diameter feed and delivery nip rolls 24g, 25g which may be similar to nip rolls 24f, 25f, but upon which a largediameter smooth-faced or cushion roll 23g is positioned. Generally, the bottom rolls 24g, 25g should preferably have much smaller flutes than those of nip rolls 24f, 25f and, since the peripheral speeds of all the rolls 23g, 24g, 25g may be the same, there maybe no draft imparted to the textile material 26 in its course between rolls 24g, 25g. However, the roll 23g still serves to support the fibers thereagainst as they pass through the zone between rolls 24g, 25g. If desired, the three-roll unit 20g may be of the type disclosed in said Bisinger et al. Patent No. 2,715,754.

The drafting system of FIGURE 12 includes three sets of conventional drafting rolls, including main delivery drafting rolls 21h, 22h which may be identical to and function the same as main delivery drafting rolls 21, 22 of FIGURE 1. The front delivery drafting rolls 21h, 22h are spaced sufficiently from a preceding set of conventional drafting rolls 85, 86 to accommodate a three-roll fiber-control unit 20h, including rolls 23h, 24h, 25h which may be identical to the respective rolls 23, 24, 25 of FIG- URE 1. Another set of drafting rolls 87, 88 is spaced rearwardly of the set 85, 86 for feeding the textile mate'- rial 2611 into the drafting system. It is apparent that the rolls 85, 86 would be driven to rotate at a speed some- What faster than the peripheral speed of feed rolls 87, 88 and that the control rolls 23h, 24h, 2511 would also be driven at a somewhat higher peripheral speed than that of the rolls 85, 86. Further, the delivery rolls 21h, 2211 would be driven at a higher peripheral speed than the peripheral speed of the control rolls 23h, 24h, 2511. In other respects, the control unit 2011 of FIGURE 12 may be constructed and operated in the same manner as that described with respect to FIGURES 1-6, 7 or 8 and, accordingly, a further detailed description thereof is deemed necessary.

FIGURE 13 shows a single fiber-control unit 20i, including a master control roll 231', and a pair of small diameter bottom control rolls 24:, 25: which may be arranged and driven in the same manner as the respective rolls 23, 24, 25 of control unit 20 in FIGURE 1. A separate pair of feeds rolls 91, 92 is spaced rearwardly of control unit 201' and a pair of main delivery rolls 21i, 22i is spaced forwardly of control unit 20i. Essentially, the drafting system of FIGURE 13 may operate in substantially the same manner as the drafting system of FIG- URES 1-6, or 7 and 8. However, the illustration of FIG- URE 13 is particularly provided to show how the nips of the successive rolls may be arranged in agenerally arcuate path so that the textile material 26: moves generally in an' arcuate path throughout its passage through the drafting system. It has been found that this is desirable to tend to open up the fibers more than normal during the drafting of the same in the respective drafting zones, as is well known. Also, the arrangement increases the extent of wrap-around of the stock; i.e., the amount of the surface of each bottom roll engaged by the stock is increased, thereby further enhancingcontrol of the fibers.

Referring to FIGURES 14 and 15, the embodiment of the invention there shown is essentially the same as that shown in FIGURES 1-6 and, therefore, will bear the same reference characters, where applicable with the suffix i added, to avoid repetitive description. In order to further reduce the linear speed of the textile material 26 through the first nip at rolls 23j, 24 relative to the linear speed of the material through the second nip at rolls 23 9 25] (as compared to the first embodiment of FIGURES 1-6), the first nip control control roll 24] and master control roll 23 do not intermesh, even though both these rolls are provided with flutes capable of intermeshing.

A spacer means, such as collars 53, 54, 55 of FIG- URE 3, may be arranged to obtain the desired relationship between the master control roll 23 and the nip control rolls 24j, 25 of FIGURES 14 and 15. As shown, the outer peripheral surfaces of control rolls 23 24 are positioned in closely spaced or proximal relationship so that the textile material 26 is undulated slightly in contact with the teeth of control rolls 23 24 Thus, although first nip control roll 24 may be driven by other means, if desired. the textile material also serves to transmit rotation from master control roll 23] to first nip control roll 24 The second nip control roll 25] and master control roll 23 are in deep intermeshing relationship soas to advance the textile material through the second nip at much faster linear speed than it is advanced through the first nip to thereby impart draft to the material 26 in zone 27 In the embodiment of FIGURES l6 and 17, front delivery drafting rolls 21k, 22k, and control rolls 23k, 24k, 25k of control unit k may be arranged and driven in a similar manner to the corresponding rolls of FIG- URES 1-6, with the important exception of the nature of the first nip control roll 24k. In this embodiment, the first nip control roll 24k may be in the form of a cushion roll or a metal roll and it may have a substantially smooth peripheral surface. It is preferred, however, that roll 24k is of non-slip surface character. That is, roll 24k may have a roughened, knurled or finely longitudinally fluted peripheral surface. However, it is characteristic of the roll 24k that it is devoid of flutes capable of meshing with or as large as the flutes of the other control rolls 23k, k.

Also, to minimize or prevent slippage of the material 26k and to transmit rotation from master control roll 23k to nip control roll 24k, the rear portion of master control roll 23k should be supported by the textile material passing through the first nip at rolls 23k, 24k, as best shown in FIGURE 17. In all other respects, this embodiment may operate to impart draft to the material 26k in control zone 27k in the manner as described with respect to FIGURES 14 and 15, and a further description thereof is thus deemed unnecessary.

It is apparent that there are various other arrangements of drafting rolls with which the improved three-roll drafting units of the present invention may be used without departing from the invention. For example, a three-roll control unit such as that indicated at 20 in FIGURES 1 6, at 2011 in FIGURES 7 and 8, at 20 in FIGURES 14 and 15, or at 20k in FIGURES l6 and 17, may be used at either of both the ingress and egress ends of a gill box.

One form of yieldable pressure applying means for the master control roll 23 is shown in FIGURE 3. However, as stated earlier herein, any suitable yieldable pressure applying means may be employed. Also, it is to be understood that master control roll 23, when positioned above nip control rolls 24, 25, may be formed of solid construction and/ or of such large size as to be sufficiently heavy to be self-weighting to obviate the need for applying any additional downward force to the master control roll. It is also contemplated that, where all the control rolls are fluted, suitable releasable locking means, not shown, may be employed in lieu of yieldable pressure applying means, or in conjunction therewith to maintain the spacing collars 53, 54, 55 in the contacting relationship shown in FIGURE 3, if desired, without departing from the invention.

It is thus seen that I have provided several embodiments of an improved drafting system for fibrous textile material in which a three-roll fiber-control unit or units are employed with the textile material being supported against the periphery of a fluted master control roll while being drafted in its course between first and second nips formed by respective spaced first and second nip control rolls cooperating with the master control roll, with at least the second nip control roll being fluted and meshing with the fluted master control roll, and wherein the relationship between the rolls at the nips is such that the textile material is advanced through the second nip at a faster linear speed than it is at the first nip, even though all the control rolls rotate at substantially the same peripheral speed.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific terms are employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising laterally spaced and parallel first and second nip control rolls, a longitudinally fluted master control roll forming spaced first and second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes in succession, yieldable pressure means operatively associated with said control rolls and being so arranged that the textile material is subjected to squeezing pressure by the respective control rolls at each of said nips, drive means connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, said first nip control roll having a substantially smooth peripheral surface, said second nip control roll being fluted longitudinally and meshing with said master control roll, and the meshing relationship of the rolls at said second nip being such with respect to the relationship of the rolls at said first nip as to advance the textile material through said second nip at a faster linear speed than that at which the material is being advanced through said first nap to thereby impart draft to said textile material in its course from said first nip to said second nip.

2. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising at least two laterally spaced and parallel first and second nip control rolls, a longitudinally fluted master control roll positioned above and forming spaced first and second nips with said nip control rolls and through which said textile material passes in succession, yieldable pressure means operatively associated with said rolls and being so arranged that the textile material is subjected to squeezing pressure by the respective rolls at each of said nips, drive means connected to said control rolls and rotating said control rolls at a common peripheral speed, said first nip control roll having a substantially smooth peripheral surface, said second nip control roll being fluted longitudinally and meshing with said master control roll to such extent that draft is imparted to said textile material in its course from said first nip to said second nip, and means limiting the extent of intermeshing of said master control roll with said second nip control roll.

3. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising first and second fluted laterally spaced and parallel nip control rolls, a fluted master control roll meshing with and forming spaced first and second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes in succession, the flutes of said master control roll and said second nip control roll being of substantially the same shape, the flutes of said second 'nip control roll being of different shape than the flutes of said first nip control roll, drive means operatively connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, limiting means for limiting the extent of intermeshing of each nip control roll relative to said master control roll and serving to provide a lesser meshing depth of the flutes at said first nip control roll than at said second nip control roll, and the intermeshing relationship of the flutes at said nips and the shape of the flutes being such that draft is imparted to textile material in its course between said nips.

4. A textile drafting system for drafting-fibrous textile material and comprising first and second fluted laterally spaced and parallel nip control rolls, a fluted master control roll meshing with and forming spaced first and second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes in succession, the teeth of said first nip control roll each being of substantially lesser cross-sectional area than the teeth of at least one of the other two control rolls, drive means operatively connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, limiting means for limiting the extent of intermeshing of each nip control roll relative to said master control roll, said limiting means providing a lesser meshing depth of the flutes at said first nip control roll than at said second nip control roll, and the intermeshing relationship of the flutes at said nips and the shape of the flutes being such that draft is imparted to textile material in its course between said nips.

5. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising first and second fluted laterally spaced and parallel nip control rolls, a fluted master control roll positioned above, meshing with and forming spaced first and second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes in succession, means for applying downward pressure to said master control roll to maintain the same in intermeshing relation with said nip control rolls during normal operation of the drafting system, the relative positions of the nip control rolls and the master control roll being such with respect to the direction of force effected by said pressure applying means that different forces are applied thereby at the respective nips, with the greater force being applied at said first nip, drive means operatively connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, and the intermesh ing relationship of the flutes at said nips and the shape of the flutes being such that draft is imparted to textile material in its course between said nips.

6. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising first and second fluted laterally spaced and parallel nip control rolls, a fluted master control roll meshing with and forming spaced first tnd second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes issuccession, each of the teeth of said first nip control roll having a lesser crosssectional area than each of the teeth of said second nip control roll, drive means operatively connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, and the intermeshing relationship of the flutes at said nips and the shape of the flutes being such that draft is imparted to textile material in its course between said nips.

7. A drafting system according to claim 6, including means operatively associated with said'control rolls for limiting to substantially the same extent the intermeshing depth of said control rolls at both said nips.

8. A drafting system according to claim 6, including means operatively associated with said control rolls for limiting the extent of the intermeshing depth of said control rolls at both said nips with the intermeshing depth at said second nip being substantially greater than the intermeshing depth at said first nip.

9. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising first and second fluted laterally spaced and parallel nip control rolls, a fluted master control roll positioned above, meshing with and forming spaced first and second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes in succession, drive means operatively connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, the intermeshing relationship of the flutes at said nips and the shape of the flutes being such that draft is imparted to textile material in its course between said nips, at least one pair of drafting rolls located rearwardly of said control rolls and wherein the textile material passes from said drafting rolls over said nip control rolls while passing beneath said master control roll, and said first nip control roll being so positioned relative to the nip formed by said pair of drafting rolls as to increase the extent of engagement of the textile material with said first nip control roll in its passage from the drafting rolls to said control rolls to thereby obtain better control of the textile material being drafted.

10. A textile drafting system for drafting fibrous textile material and comprising first and second fluted laterally spaced and parallel nip control rolls, a fluted master control roll considerably larger than said nip control rolls and meshing therewith and forming spaced first and second nips with the respective nip control rolls and through which the textile material passes in succession, bearings carried by and surrounding opposite ends of all of said control rolls, collars carried by all of said bearings and serving as spacer members for limiting the meshing relationship of said control rolls, means yieldably maintaining said collars on said master control roll in contact with respective collars on said nip control rolls for maintaining a predetermined meshing relation of the control rolls at said nips during drafting of the textile material, drive means operatively connected to said control rolls and rotating all said control rolls at substantially the same peripheral speed, and the intermeshing relationship of the flutes at said nips and the shape of the flutes being such that draft is imparted to textile material in its course between said nips.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS of 1842 Great Britain. of 1893 Great Britain. of 1877 Great Britain.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 19-258, 293

CERTIFL CATE OF cflissCT-iom Patent No. 700 Dated November 25, 1969 Inventor(s) Emmett Livingston It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Colufnn 5, Line 19, "control ni p roll" should be nip control roll- Column 7, Line '38, "24c" should be -23c- Column 10, line 34, "nap" should be -nip-; Column 1.1, Line 43, "tnd" should be --and-; Column 11, Line 45, "is" should be i.n

smu'w Am) smsn (SEAL) Atteat:

M. Fletcher. I; I, r E. m- Attestiug Officer Cfn-r.;m1ss1o rwta 

